Any parent whose teenager has been involved with unhealthy or otherwise destructive behaviors knows how hard it can be, and may have even been tempted to give up. But in an article on the website of California's KFAX radio, Mark Gregston of Heartfelt Ministries urged parents to hang in there -- and appreciate small victories:

It's easy to be so overwhelmed by problems with your teen's behavior that you fail to recognize any progress. Progress is not "problem solved." Progress means steady improvement.

So, if your child is screaming at you every day, and then only yells at you once every other day - then that's progress! Finishing some of his homework, when he previously did no homework, is progress.

Effective parenting requires that you look at the big picture while focusing on just a few problems at a time; then applauding any progress, no matter how small.

Refuse to make your teen's lack of a complete turnaround to be your constant disappointment. Turnarounds rarely happen overnight. Instead, applaud every step in the right direction, even if it is a small one.

Labels: parental_involvement, parenting_help

Australia has a new TV show aimed at straightening out troubled teenagers. Titled "World's Strictest Parents," the show sends teenagers around the world to live with no-nonsense parents for seven days. Cassandra McDonald of Zanesville, Ohio, was chosen as one of the "strict" parents.

An Aug. 23 article by Holly Richards of the Zanesville Times Recorder provided the following details:

McDonald knew she had her work cut out for her when Aza and Troy arrived in Zanesville on Aug. 11, but she also knew she could make a difference in their lives ...

"They looked so hugable and lovable and I gave them a big hug as soon as I saw them," McDonald said. "The coolest thing was when I looked into their eyes, I saw the heart of a child who wanted to be loved. I told them the (bad) things they've done is what you did, not who you are; you don't have to let it define you."

"Aza didn't want to leave, but we're going to talk back and forth," McDonald told the newspaper. "She'll be back around Christmas, and they both said they plan to move to America some day. It was a tiring, stressful week, but when you're affecting someone's life it's worth it. Love and the love of God can turn around anything."

Labels: parenting_help, troubled_teenagers

Teenagers runaway for a multitude of reasons. Some are trying to escape truly abusive and destructive homes. Others are simply frustrated, feeling like they can't meet their parents expectations; or perhaps they are dealing with something they don't feel they can share with their parents.

In a column in the Windsor Star, psychotherapist Barbara Burrows advised the mother of a teen runaway not to turn her back on her daughter:

Certainly parents will recognize how worried, guilty or upset they can feel about troubles with teenagers. Teenagers hide very well the fact that they usually feel as desperate as parents. Teens may even feel that they have ruined any hope that parents could ever love them again. ...

The more you can keep trying to reach her and approach this problem without getting too upset, the more you help her understand that whatever problems she faces, things are manageable. Teach her by your example, that through discussion, there is a solution to life's most difficult dilemmas.

Leaving home can be a traumatic experience for teens as well as parents. But responding to the problem in a calm, reasoned manner can help end the crisis and improve the substance and quality of the family members' relationships with each other.

Labels: parenting_help, runaways, teenagers

When Robyn realized that her teenage son needed help, she wasn't sure where to turn. Finding the right adolescent treatment facility for him was hard, but she was persistent. And it's paid off.

"'I was afraid he would do a repeat of Columbine,' she says. 'I was afraid he would hurt people.'

"She placed her son in a teen treatment facility and now, months later, he's doing much better.

Labels: parenting_help, treatment_programs

Teens don't always know where to go to find answers to difficult questions. Sometimes parents don't know the answers either. That's why the United Way offers a comprehensive "yellow pages" book filled with helpful information.

"The United Way's 211 created the Youth Yellow Pages so that teens won't have to deal with issues such as violence, eating disorders and peer pressure alone. The adults in their lives may not have grown up dealing with these issues. Together, they can count on United Way's 211 to provide the information and referrals they need when facing new problems or concerns. Armed with the facts, adults can help teens make informed choices and reach intelligent decisions for themselves."

A copy of the Youth Yellow Pages can be obtained by calling a local United Way office, or visiting the United Way web site.

The Teen-Help-Directory is another great resource for parents and teens. Learn about teen drug use, research boarding schools, or find programs for troubled teens at Teen-Help-Directory.com.

Labels: parenting_help, support, teen_issues

At-Risk-Youth.com is a new website/blog dedicated to providing troubled adolescents and their parents with valuable and timely information about the issues that face today's youth. When adolescents exhibit destructive behaviors, parents often feel helpless and confused about how to help their child, who may struggling with issues such as substance abuse, violence, weight management, learning disabilities, eating disorders, and other behavioral and emotional issues. At-Risk-Youth.com provides parents with the information and resources that will help their children reach their full potential.

At-Risk-Youth.com provides parents and their children with helpful tools, such as information about therapeutic programs, rehabilitation programs, and boarding schools, along with information for parents about the issues that their children are facing. The resources provided by At-Risk-Youth.com are intended to help families deal with these complex issues so that they can make the choices that will help get their children back on the right path.

Labels: at_risk, parenting_help, resources_for_parents